Ignition distributor and coil unit



M. G. BALES 2,782,247

IGNITION DISTRIBUTOR AND COIL UNIT 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Feb. 19, 1957 Original Filed Aug. 17. 1950 l w l X I I 6 II 6 14 7' TOENE Y5 Feb. 19, 1957 BALES 2,782,247

IGNITION DISTRIBUTOR AND COIL UNIT Original Filed Aug. 17, 1950 3 Shets-Sheet 2 //v VEN TO B 2 MAX 6. BA L55 2 w 444AW Arron/v5 YS Feb. 19, 1957 M. e. BALES 2,782,247

IGNITION DISTRIBUTOR AND COIL UNIT Original Filed Aug. 17, 1950 3 Sheets-Sheet s iii #7 l/vvsrv TOE IGNITHON DllSTRlBUTQR AND COIL UNIT Max G. Bales, Anderson, Ind., assignor to General Motors Corporation, Detroit, Mich., a corporation of Delaware Original application August 17, 1950, Serial No. 179,970, now Patent No. 2,662,105, dated December 8, 1953. Divided and this application March 17, 1953, Serial No. 342,924

4 Claims. (Cl. 123-448) This invention relates to ignition apparatus and internal combustion engines. This application is a division of original application, Serial No. 179,970, filed August 17, 1950, now Patent 2,662,105. An object of the present invention is to provide a unitary structure comprising an ignition timer, an ignition distributor and an ignition coil all in a housing which provides for the exclusion of dirt and moisture which provides for connection with an air-circulating system in which there includes in addition to the timer distributor and coil devices for suppressing disturbances to radio apparatus mounted on the vehicle.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description reference being had to the accompanying drawings wherein a preferred embodiment of the present invention is clearly shown.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of an ignition unit embodying the invention.

Fig. 2 is a side view looking in the direction of arrow 2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a view in the direction of arrow 3 of Fig. 7.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged scale fragmentary sectional view on line 4-4 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a sectional view on line 5-5 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary sectional view on an enlarged scale and is taken on line 66 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 7 is a sectional view on line 7-7 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 8 is a view on line 8-8 of Fig. 7 showing the timer housing and the plan view of the ignition timer and the ignition coil.

Figs. 9 and 10 are sectional views on line 9-9 and 1010 of Fig. 8.

Fig. 11 is a wiring diagram.

Fig. 12 is an enlarged longitudinal sectional view of condenser A shown in Fig. 8.

Fig. 13 is a fragmentary plan view of a portion of a circuit breaker plate and the circuit breaker supported thereby.

Fig. 14 is a view in the direction of arrow 14 of Fig. 13.

Fig. 15 is an enlargement of a sectional view on line 1s 1s of Fig. 7.

taken in the direction of arrow 19 of Fig. 18.

Fig. 20 is a bottom view of the rotor looking in the direction of arrow 20 of Fig. 18.

The structure includes a timer housing and a cover 31 which are secured by screws 32 (Fig. 2) with a sealing gasket 33 between them. The housing 30 provides a bearing 35 for a. shaft 36 connectible with an engine driven member by a coupling, one portion being member 37 attached to shaft 36.

Shaft 36 drives a plate 38 carrying studs 39 and sup 2,732,247 Patented Feb. 19, 1957 ice porting weights 40 pivoted on the stud and having arms 41 for engaging cam surfaces 42 of a plate 43 attached to a tubular shaft 44 which provides the ignition timer cam 45 (Fig. 7 and Fig. 8). Springs 46 connected with studs 39 and studs 47 carried by plate 43 oppose movement of weights 40 away from shaft 44 as the speed of shaft 37 increases. As these weights move out shaft 44 is moved clockwise relative to shaft 36 whose direction of movement is clockwise. Therefore, the timing of the ignition is advanced with an increase of speed.

Cam 45 has lobes which engage with a rubbing block 50 attached to a lever 51 pivotally mounted on a stud 52 which is attached to its circuit breaker supporting plate 53, having cars 54 which receive screws 55 (Fig. 8) by which the plate 53 is attached to the housing. A leaf spring is connected at One end with the lever 51 and at the other with a non-conducting junction block 61 by means of a screw 62 which receives a nut 63. The tightening of the nut 63 on the screw 62 causes the leaf spring 60 to be clamped between terminal clips 64 and 66 of wires and 67 respectively. Wire 65 is connected with one coil of a condenser C, the other coil of which connects to ground through connection with the case 68 of the condenser which by a clip 69 and a screw 70 is fastened to the plate 53 (Fig. 8). The function of spring 60 is to urge the contacts 58 toward contact 57 and to maintain the rubbing block 50 in engagement with the cam 45 when the latter is functioning to open and close the contacts. A plate 56 can be adjusted around the stud 52 in order to change the distance between the rubbing block and the axis of cam 45 in order to change the amount of contact separation so that as the rubbing block 50 wears the contacts can be caused to separate to a predetermined extent. This adjustment is effected by rotation of a screw driver slotted disc 71 received by a slot 72 in plate 56 having an eccentric shank 73 journaled in plate 53. Plate 56 is retained in adjustment by tightening of a screw 74 passing through an armature slot 75 in plate 56 and threaded into the plate 53.

Referring to Figs. 16 to 20 a distributor rotor which is of the type shown in the copending application of Brooks H. Short et al., Ser. No. 81,432, filed March 15, 1949, now Pat. No. 2,593,205, issued April 15, 1952, comprising a block 81 supporting a distributing segment 82, a suppressor resistance 83 and a spring 84 having a flat portion 85 received between ribs 86 of the block 81 and making electrical connection with the resistance 83 which is electrically connected with the segment 82. The spring 84 has a flexible arm 87 providing a contact button 88. The rotor 80 (Fig. 7) is received by an extension 89 of the tubular shaft 44 which is provided with a flat 90 (Fig. 8) which engages a fiat 91 defining a wall of the socket 92 which receives the ex tension 89. The rotor block 81 which is made of molded plastic carries an insert 92 to which a resilient metal clip 93 is attached, said clip having resilient arms 94 which press against the flat 90 of shaft 44 thus frictionally retaining the rotor 80 upon said shaft.

The cover 31 supports a distributor cap attached thereto by screws one of which is screw 101 (Fig. 7). These screws are received by tapped holes 102 in cover 31. Cap 100 of molded plastic includes an inverted cup-shaped portion 103 which receives the rotor 80 and which supports a plurality of metal posts 104 in a circular row and cooperating with the distributor segment 82 of the rotor to receive sparking impulses which jump the gap between the segment and the post at the proper time in the firing sequence. As shown in Fig. 4 each post 104 receives a spring 105 bearing against a rod 106 integral with a disc 107 about which the material of the cap 100 is molded. The disc 107 is at the bottom of a socket 108 adapted to receive a plug connector on the end of a spark plug cable, said cablebeing housed in a flexible armor, not shown, said armor being connected by coupling nuts with a threaded sleeve 109 attached to the cover 31. The sleeve 109 has a flange 110 received by a recess 111- provided by the covering 31, said recess receiving a resilient washer 112 of rubber-like material, a dished seal spring washer 113 and a plain washer 114. The sleeve 109 has a tubular shank 115 received within a hole in the cover 31 and concentric with the recess 111. The shank 115 in Fig. has diametrically opposite notches which receive diametrically opposite tangs 116 of the cover 31 thereby preventing rotation of the sleeve 109 relative to the cover 31. The shank 115 is deformed at 117 to secure the sleeve 109 to the cover 31, said deformation of the shank 115 causing the flange of sleeve 109 to be drawn into the recess 111, whereby the resilient washer 112 is compressed and is caused to fit snugly against the cover31 and the shank to seal the joint.

Cap 100 supports a center contact 120 which engages the button 88 of rotor 80 and causes, when the parts. are

assembled as shown in Fig. 7, the resilient arm 87 to be bent down or to the right in Fig. 17 to locate the button 83 at the axis of the rotor. by a strip 121 embedded in the cap 100 which is connected with an insert stud 122 to which a coil spring 123 is attached. Coil spring 123 is located in a recess 124 which receives the socket port 125 of the top or cover member 126 of an ignition coil 130. which is constructed substantially as shown in thepatent to Herman L. Hartzell No. 2,512,796, issued June 27, 1950. The case 131. of: the coil 13% extends through a bore 132 provided by housing 30 and it is connected with the top 126 by a metal band 133 which is received by a socket or recess 134. pro.- vided by housing 30 and rests upon a sealing'gasket 135 against which it is urged by a plate 136 (Fig. 8) attached to housing 30 by screws 137. As disclosed in Patent No. 2,512,796, coil 13% has a primary winding 140 (Fig. 11) connected with terminals 141 and 142 and a secondary winding 143 the inner end of which is. grounded and. the outer end of which is connected with the coil center terminal 144 which as shown in Fig. 6 is connected by resilient member 145 with a screw 146 threaded through an insert 147 and serving to clamp a rubberlike sealing washer 14S and a steel flat washer 149 against the bottom of the socket 125. Spring 123 is confined against the head of. the screw 146. In this way, the secondary winding 143 is connectedwith the strip 121 which in turn is connected with the center contact 120 and the rotor button 88 as shown diagrammatically in Fig. 11. Coil terminal 141 is connected with wire 67 which is connected with the circuit breaker lever 51. Coil terminal 142 is connected by wire 150' with one foil of a condenser B contained in a metal case 151 (Fig. 9); and having its other coil connected to ground through the case 151 which is received in a socket or pocket 152 provided by housing 30 and which is secured therein by a clip 153 which one of the screws 155 secures to the housing.

Terminal 142 is connected by a wire with one end of a resistance D which is in the form of a helical coil helically wound around a non-conducting support 161 and surrounded by glass cloth insulation 162, said uni-t being received in a socket or pocket 163 provided by the housing 30, said pocket being surrounded in part by a wall 164 having heat dissipating fins 165 (Fig. 2). The resistance unit D is retained by a clip 166 secured to housing 39 by screws-167, theother end of the resistance is at tached to a head of a screw 168 receiving a not 169 which clamps a terminal clip 170 attached to a wire 171. -As shown in Fig. 12 wire 171 is connected with the center core 172 of a condenser A having a foil winding 173 electrically connected with core 172 by a washer 174 and having a foil winding 175 the margin of which engages a metal washer 176 engaging a spring Washer .177 engaging the condenser case 178. One flange 179 of'the case is'shaped by spinning to retain a non-conducting disc The contact 120 is connected 180 against the metal washer 174. Case 173 has a flange 181 which is formed against a non-conducting disc 182 thereby forcing it against a disc 1 53 and the end of a non-conducting tube 184 upon which the coil foils are wrapped. The case 178 to which foil 175 is electrically connected fits Within a socket or tubular extension 185 (Fig. 8) of the housing 31). A conducting rod or plug 186 attached to the core 172 extends through a rubber grommet 187 attached to a coupling 188 attached by screws 189 to the extension 135. The coupling is threaded to receive the nut for connecting with the coupling a flexible metal armor enclosing a cable, the end of which is attached to a socket, not shown, which receives the plug 186 for making an electrical connection to an ignition switch 1% (Fig. ll) connected with the current source such as to the battery 191.

From Fig. ll it is apparent that the condensers A and B and the resistance D provide a pi filter for suppressing disturbances which would otherwise interfere with operation of neighboring radio apparatus. Since the screw 168 (Fig. 10) is made of magnetizaole material coil D operates as a choke coil.

The ignition unit comprises two sub-assemblies, one being the subassembly of housing 35, coil 1341, the ignition timer and the distributor rotor and the driving mechanism therefor together with condensers A, B and C and the resistance unit or choke coil D. All of the wiring con nections between the circuit breaker, the coil, the condenser, the resistance unit and the primary terminal provided by the plug 136 (Fig. 8). The other subassembly comprises the cover 31 and the distributor cap 1%. The assembling of the cover 131 with the housing 31) establishes the connections between the high tension terminal of the coil and the central button 85 of the distributor rotor.

The assembling of the various parts of the first subassembly is very simple since the housin 30 provides sockets or wells into which various parts are moved, for instance, the housing 36, provides a well or timer cup into which the assembly of shaft 36 and parts supported thereby with the exception of the rotor iii) is passed. The breaker plate 53' with the circuit breaker and condenser C supported thereby is placed in the distributor cup. The rotor 81) is placed upon the end of shaft 44. The coil 130 is pressed into the well provided by the bore 132 of housing 31?. The condenser E is placed in the well 152 provided by the housing 311 (Fig. 9). The resistance unit D is placed in the well 163 provided by housing 30. Before the coupling 183 is attached to the extension (Fig. 8) the assembly of condenser A together with wire 171 is passed into the extension 135 and condenser A is retained by the coupling 18% which serves as one of the elements to attach an armored cable to the ignition unit. The replacement of any of the parts of the first subassembly is very easy since all that is required is to loosen screws and disconnect wires.

The housing 31] is provided with two tapped holes one of which is shown at 20th in Fig. 2. Threaded pipes can be screwed into these holes for making connection with an air-circulating system used for ventilating the unit.

The unit provides for the exclusion of dirt, foreign matter and moisture from the interior thereof, since all of the openings are sealed.

While the embodiment of the present invention as herein disclosed, constitutes a preferred form, it is to be understood that other forms might be adopted.

What isclaimed is as follows:

1. In an ignition system for an internal combustion engine including an ignition coil and an ignition distributor the combination with. a housing having an opening to support'an ignition coil provided with a primary winding and a second opening having a bore to receive a condenser unit housed in a condenser housing, said unit including a core, a coil of a foil winding electrically connected with the core, a second foil winding grounded t0 the housing of the condenser, and a conducting rod attached to the core and extending beyond the bore in first mentioned housing; a coupling for retaining the unit with the bore; a yieldable grommet of rubberlike material located between the rod and coupling for insulating the rod from the coupling, said rod being adapted to engage portions of a metal socket when said socket is attached to said coupling for electrically connecting the core with a current source through a conducting member having one end electrically connected with the core and having the other end connected with the primary winding of the ignition coil.

2. in an ignition system for an internal combustion engine including an ignition coil and an ignition distributor the combiation with a metallic housing having a plurality of openings and a well comprising; an ignition coil pro vided with a primary Winding terminal supported Within one of the openings, a choke coil detachably suported in the well, a condenser unit having a housing supported in another opening, said unit including; a metallic core, a foil winding electrically connected with the core and a second foil winding grounded to the condenser housing, a means for securing the condenser unit within said metallic housing including; a detachable coupling for retaining the unit within the said other opening, a body of rubber-like material carried by the coupling, and a conductor element having one end electrically connected to one end of the core and having the other end projecting centrally through said rubber-like body; a conducting member for connecting the other end of the choke coil with the primary terminal with the ignition coil.

3. In an ignition system for an internal combustion engine including an ignition coil and an ignition distributor the combination comprising; an ignition coil including; a casing having an open end, a cover having a body of insulation for closing the open end of the casing, said body having a boss defining a socket on the outer surface of the body, a tapped metal insert embedded in the bottom of the socket arranged coaxially with the socket, a rubberlike washer and a metallic washer located in the bottom of the socket, a conducting member having a shoulder and a reduced threaded portion threadedly engaging said conducting member in the insert for causing the shoulder portion of said conducting member to compress the washers against the bottom of the socket to provide a moisture seal between the conducting member and the cover, said reduced threaded portion being adapted to extend through the insert when threaded therein; and a metallic resilient member for electrically connecting the conducting member with a conducting part within the housing, a cap of insulating material having a recess for receiving the boss of the body, said cap including; a metallic conducting strip embedded in the cap adapted to connect the conducting part within the casing with a conducting part outside the casing, said strip having one end exposed and arranged coaxially within and extending below the bottom of the recess of the cap, a conductor spring carried by the exposed portion of the strip with the recess, whereby said cap when placed over said cover so that the recess therein receives the boss on said cover causing the spring in said cap to engage yieldingly the conducting member for electrically connecting the same with the conducting strip.

4. In an ignition system for an internal combustion engine including an ignition coil and an ignition distributor, of a distributor head subassembly for use with said system comprising in combination; a metallic cup-shaped cover having a plurality of openings in its bottom wall arranged in a circular row; a non-conducting body carried within said cover having a pair of spaced inverted recesses, one of which is adapted to receive a rotor while the other is adapted to receive a projection having a socket in which the high tension terminal of an ignition coil is supported, said cap having formed therewith a plurality of bosses defining sockets arranged ,coaxially with the axis of said one recess, each boss extending through a respective opening in said cover and having metallic inserts therein for connection respectively with spark plug cables and having portions exposed at the sockets and a conducting member embedded in the cap having its opposite ends exposed at the central portion of the recesses; and resilient means disposed at each end of said embedded conducting member for electrically connecting said rotor and the terminal of said coil.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,969,866 Wild et al Aug. 14, 1934 2,057,240 Mallory Oct. 13, 1936 2,346,094 Vogel Apr. 4, 1944 2,462,490 Hallett Feb. 22, 1949 FOREIGN PATENTS 539,122 France June 21, 1922 

